makesense and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs support civil society or business initiatives solving social and/or environmental challenges in Lebanon through the Omdi program. Since its creation in 2020, the Omdi program has supported 18 social and environmental initiatives all across Lebanon.
About the Omdi program
History
The Omdi program started in 2020. It followed the blooming of many youth-led impactful initiatives during the October 2019 revolution, and the shared wish of the French Institute in Lebanon and makesense to support those initiatives for them to become sustainable.
What is Omdi?
The Omdi program has evolved throughout its 4 editions to adapt to the Lebanese context and to the needs of social and environmental stakeholders. However, each edition has followed the same goal of offering technical, financial and community support to civil society organizations or small businesses that aim to build a more inclusive and sustainable society in Lebanon, with a local anchor in their region of origin.
18 initiatives have been supported since 2020 and some of them have participated in the program several years in a row. Their thematics include but are not restricted to : environment, gender equality, employability, arts and culture, food safety, etc.
The Omdi program was co-design by makesense and the French Institute in Lebanon, and has been funded by the Centre de Crise et de Soutien (French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs) since its 3rd edition in 2022.
Meet the Omdi projects
The Gold Clinic is a free-of-charge clinic targeting the underprivileged older adults in Lebanon. The clinic provides completely free of charge medical services including: primary care clinic visits, specilty referrals, medications, laboratory tests, imaging studies and psychological interventions.
2020
The mission of Green Track is to educate the Lebanese people about sorting at source by raising awareness, collecting and re-sorting of the waste, and selling the collected recyclables to industrial companies who use them as raw material for their operation.
2020
Plastc Lab is trying to make the economy more circular, by collecting plastic waste, sorting it, shredding it, and producing new items made from recycled plastic.
2020, 2022
Youth Against Corruption is a youth-led initiative contributing to control and prevent corruption in more innovative and efficient ways. Through social innovation and entrepreneurship, YAC wants to inform and inspire youth to have their own opinion, make informed socio-political choices, and move to action through sessions and workshops.
2020
Buildits was created by two engineers who felt they never had a chance to put their learnings into practice when they were young. This educational STEM product encourage youth to learn by doing while developing their soft skills (problem-solving, team-building, planning, etc).
2021
Beekeepers are suffering from a shortage of wax and the increase of wax prices. This project at the agricultural village of Baalbak aims to recycle wax in order to fulfill beekeepers needs and support honey production in spite of the economic crisis.
2021, 2022
Omdi is supporting Live Love Recycle in partnership with Green Track, Plastc Lab and Tripulley to offer a free recycling service to Tripoli inhabitants.
2021, 2022
Esprits Libres purpose is to offer an innovative, inclusive, and sustainable educational system to children and teenagers in the Hermel region. They have three types of activities: a cultural center, a school and a field used to train to permaculture, support families and generate revenues.
2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Tri-Pulley is an initiative that is trying to “pulley” vulnerable families in Tripoli and those affected by the Beirut explosion by matching unemployed skilled individuals to other vulnerable families.
2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Garbaliser collects organic waste among farmers and individuals in the Bekaa region and transforms this waste into a liquid fertilizer. This fertilizer is used by farmers and participates in promoting sustainable agriculture in the Bekaa region.
2023, 2024
WingWoman empowers women in Beirut’s suburbs (Chatila and Dora) by training and employing them to produce reusable pads and diapers.
2023, 2024
Discover Omdi 1 and Omdi 2 editions
The cooperation & cultural action department of the French Embassy and the French Institute of Lebanon drive various bilateral cooperation programs between France and Lebanon (education, research, culture, governance…). They endorse civil society initiatives thanks to various grants, programs, and experts. The Omdi program falls within the framework of the Solidarity Fund for social innovations from the civil society and youth in Lebanon.
The Crisis and Support Center of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, responds to crisis situations abroad, whether affecting French nationals or in the context of humanitarian crises. It is also responsible for anticipating, preparing for, monitoring and alerting to crises, and, in the case of Omdi, for stabilizing post-crisis situations.
makesense designs impact programs and spark collaborations between engaged citizens, social entrepreneurs and forward-thinking organizations to collectively tackle the social and environmental issues of today.
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